Venezuelans celebrated with Masses and processions 26 February after Pope Francis approved the canonisation of Blessed José Gregorio Hernández, a revered 19th-century doctor known for his medical innovations and devotion to the poor.
He will be the Caribbean nation’s first saint. Blessed José Gregorio, who founded Venezuela’s first bacteriology lab, dedicated his life to providing free consultations to the needy.
He was beatified in 2021 after a girl’s miraculous recovery from a gunshot wound in 2017 was attributed to his intercession.
Blessed José Gregorio’s sainthood, long awaited by Venezuelans, recognises his exceptional service to humanity and faith.
While the exact canonisation date is still pending, the announcement was met with joy in Caracas, where Massgoers celebrated with fireworks and patriotic songs.
Father Gregory Lobo, a Caracas priest, led a procession to celebrate the news of Blessed José Gregorio’s accession to sainthood—announced four years after his 2021 beatification.
He called the doctor a Venezuelan rockstar—statues of him and his prayer cards are in nearly every household— who taught the lesson that in the midst of difficult times, people in every walk of life can make an effort to do things well and can help others.
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